Musky

I'm quite jealous of your guitarist, Alex. It must be great being stuck in a rut, secure in the knowledge that all your gear is in fact the best tool for the job, and there are no other options or ways of doing things. Or perhaps he's happy to rely on one persons opinion in a magazine, even though advertising pressures often taint the reviews?

It seems pretty obvious to me, but maybe people are thinking it's some kind of dutch auction - the highest bidder gets to chose the one they want and the runners up have to choose from what's left? There's no accounting for some of the idiots that you get on ebay. What's the thinking behind doing the auction like that? Presumably it's so bidders who are after different tools have to compete and drive up the final price? Good idea.

I could very well be wrong, but I think the 4001CS came with the bass cut capacitor that Rickenabacker abandoned in the early eighties. I know they've messed about with the inclusion/exclusion of this in some of their more recent models, but I've no idea what model has got it nowadays. But it's just a capacitor - a minor amount of modding to any 4001/4003 should sort you out. Though thinking about it, the CS has a toaster, low output pickup so maybe not. Hmmm... I've had Ricks for 25 years now - I really ought to get a bit more up to date with the specs!

[url="http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/domesticjv.htm"]http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/domesticjv.htm[/url] Scroll to the bottom of the page. Most of the Contemporary Series had an E serial number, and are easily spotted by the painted headstock (and usually a painted neck). Although they rolled off the same production line as the Squiers, they weren't competing directly with existing US Fenders and so came with a Fender badge. I'll have to take back what I said about them coming with single ply black guards, as clearly there were plenty with white and 3 ply guards as well. I've not seen any about in this country though, or all those colours.

I assume he means it's a four bolt neck.

[quote name='bnt' post='69548' date='Oct 4 2007, 04:11 PM']assuming it is a Fender in the first place, which I have my doubts about. PS: when did post-CBS Fenders from the 70s become collectors items? I must have missed that meeting, because I'm old enough to remember when they were considered worthless. I know who to blame: Geddy Lee and Marcus Miller. [/quote] Clearly not Fender for so many reasons. 70's Fenders have been collectable ever since 60's ones became too expensive for most players - quite a while now. Still, that guy's made my day. I just hope someone let's him down gently.

I've got a DP300 head sitting around (must get round to flogging it!). It was a fairly decent amp, but seemed to lack a real character of it's own - reminded me a bit of Peavey in that respect. A good amount of eq available though, and a few bells and whistles - it had a 'DPC attack' knob which, though I never knew what it did, sounded fantastic. Not sure if that was available on all the DP150's though. Probably a little overpriced - again one sold on the 'bay for £112 recently - for an amp that could be about 20 years old.

The 1x15 combo version of this sold on the 'bay for £300 the other day, so £350 is definitely over the top.

[quote name='OldGit' post='65571' date='Sep 25 2007, 10:04 PM']Spotted this one - the same but without the scratch plate Ebay Item number: 130153094322 [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-PRECISION-BASS-LYTE-EARLY-MODEL-NR_W0QQitemZ130153094322QQihZ003QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Odd Precision .. not a "lyte" as billed[/url][/quote] £262! I can only think that people have been taken in by the 'rare early model' description, as it seems a little excessive.

That's a contemporary series MIJ precision, though I'd guess the scratchplate and thumb rest have been added later - I've never seen anything like that before. In fact, the b/w/b plate definately suggests a later addition - I can only recall some guitars in the contemporary series having a scratchplate, and they were all solid black, thick affairs. Good quality basses, most likely with a basswood body. Worth a punt if he doesn't have a silly reserve.

Ridiculously overpriced, but he seems overly optimistic with a lot the stuff he's got there. It's easy enough to pick up a tidy example for £350.

[quote name='Bass_Widow' post='63148' date='Sep 20 2007, 03:36 PM']My husband is addicted to bass. I shan't say how many he has (partly because I can't remember). At what point should I be concerned that there soon won't be any space in the house to sleep? [/quote] You shouldn't be concerned at all. Just bear in mind that while the bass player in your life is happy it's likely to be reflected in your relationship, [i]and[/i] he's less likely to be getting involved in other more pointless time (and money) wasting exercises. PS. Could you stop off at the supermarket and pick us up some milk on the way home? Cheers.

Both listings have been removed. Probably the result of hacked accounts.

Hmm... I bought a new Precision in 82 - it would have needed the fretboard removed and the neck planed to make it play as it should. So experience tells me no.

The Bisons have two knobs for selecting pickup combinations. As for the trem, I can only guess that someone accidentally copied in some of the specs for the guitar version - I've never seen one with a trem.

The joker's asking 3-4 times it's value. He's also got a US Fender he only wants twice it's worth as well. Check the threads [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5640"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5640[/url] and [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5633"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5633[/url]

Good question, and one a lot of beginners face. I don't think there's anything you need to play other than what you usually do - that's what you're going to playing on it, so that's what it should be tested with. There's not a great deal of point in seeing how well it slaps if you're never going to play slap bass, for instance. The stock answer to how it plays/feels is to take an experienced bass player along with you, but for me that was never an option. I think the best bet is to play as many basses in the shop as you can, even basses out of your price range and other examples of the same bass (I mean [i]exactly[/i] the same model - there can be huge differences, especially on cheaper models). It should give you a good idea of the differences and playability of different basses. And like mancunianfox says, if you like what it does then that's the one for you. There are a few things you might like to look out for though. Any sign of crackly pots, any fret buzz (check all strings on each fret) and poorly fitting neck/pocket (though pretty much a rarity even on cheap basses nowadays). Any problems with the neck should make themselves apparent in comparison with other basses.

According to [url="http://www.21frets.com/dating_fenders.html"]http://www.21frets.com/dating_fenders.html[/url] (content probably nicked from the provide.net site) the pot was made in the sixth week of 1981. So if it's a seventies fender you're looking at, it's either a replacement pot or it's not a seventies fender!

My knowledge of the funk scene - let alone afro funk - is pretty much zero, but you could try Spitz in Commercial St. E1 [url="http://www.spitz.co.uk/"]http://www.spitz.co.uk/[/url] They're about to move, but are looking for a new venue. Jagz just outside London could be worth contacting as well. [url="http://www.jagz.co.uk/"]http://www.jagz.co.uk/[/url]

My first thoughts were that it's an Epiphone Wilshire.

He doesn't mention it being made when there was no US production now, so he must have revised it. The serial has 7 digits anyway, so I assume he's mistaking the 'I' at the start for a '1'. An 'I' prefix would make it 89-90. Either way, the guy's dreaming.

I'm probably being way too cynical, but I'd tread extremely warily as well. Just the zero feedback warrants a certain amount of caution anyway. It just seems a little odd that he's coming over as if he knows nothing about the bass , yet has taken advice from someone who also knows nothing (Mexico FFS) but still knows the serial number will identify it. And still hasn't bothered to check the net for any of the wealth of info out there. It could just be an idiot, but I'd ask for more [i]specific[/i] pictures and ask about cash on pickup.

It's all swings and roundabouts. In the nineties there was a similar fad for multi bass player bands, so it all evens out in the end. So I shan't be losing any sleep over it.

[quote name='fusionbassist1' post='57357' date='Sep 8 2007, 12:58 PM']Thanx very much everyone. Heavy duty Speakon connectors are the way forward then i take it. Could anyone suggest a log lasting Speakon cable then please.[/quote] You could do far worse than OBBM's cables. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=502"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=502[/url]

Thanks for clearing that up Oxblood - I'm off to check all my speakers leads!